E Village / LES

frosch&portmann is pleased to present “so different, so appealing”, a group exhibition with Maya Brym, Paul Loughney, Vicki Sher and Sheri Warshauer.

“so different, so appealing”—a title in loose reference to the 1956 pop art collage Just what is it that makes today's homes so different, so appealing? by British artist Richard Hamilton—brings together four artists whose works are distinctive but share a fascination with the domestic space. Working in different media such as collage, drawing and painting, the artists create a shifting landscape of domesticity. In exploring tensions between interiors and modern architecture, the exhibition offers different views into the private space by juxtaposing familiarity with the unknown."

With her paintings, Maya Brym creates still lifes of exterior and interior modern architecture. Her houses, set in front of dark mountain formations, are cut open and reveal shifting perceptions allowing a glimpse into alternate spaces. The artist grew up in a 1970s modern house which influenced her imagery; intrigued by the optimism of modern architecture and lifestyle, the artist is interested in transforming and re- contextualizing in a way that acknowledges flux and a space for the unknown."

Using negative space and shadows, Paul Loughney’s collages reconfigure the interior and render different perspectives on presence. These new narratives lead to a sense of ambiguity and mystery in the nebulous realm between the familiar and unrecognizable forms. While Richard Hamilton’s collage focuses on the materials and symbols of comfort that define the era in which they were consumed, Loughney’s work displays the interior as a timeless entity. Devoid of bodies and objects, they encapsulate the many previous lives which inhabited them."

Just like breezing through lifestyle magazines, Sheri Warshauer's work takes a voyeuristic look at architecture and interior design of the tastefully affluent. Her paintings and collages poke fun at the efforts behind displaying wealth through art and furniture in modern homes. Warshauer uses layers of paint, colored pencil and cut paper images to bring her scenes to life. She puts the Modernist’s American Dream on display for all to see what can be attainable if one has the eye, money and taste to acquire it."

Vicki Sher is interested in the quiet moments of everyday life. Furniture, houseplants and bowls of fruit populate her images alongside whimsical lines and color, suggesting just enough of an interior to set the stage for contemplative wandering. Sher wants you to fill in the empty space, but also wants you to understand the value of limited information. Hereditary subjects are commonplace, crummy couches and generic plants, but each character gets to take center stage, every line is elevated to a solo note by the removal of surrounding noise."